3xR catch up weeks 17, 18, and 19: Marine Debris

While I'm working on catching up with the 3xR challenge I'll be incorporating the marine debris I collected in Hawaii and well as using up more metal from my scrap bin. In fact, while I was unpacking from my last craft fair I stumbled upon a long forgotten box labeled "copper", so now I have a whole new and exciting scrap source!

Week 17
"Caught"

Scrap Brass, Coral, Marine Debris (Plastic Net and Cap)

Week 18
"Strangled"

Scrap Copper, Brass, Coral, Ocean Debris (rope)

Week 19

"Capped"

Scrap Copper, Coral, Marine Debris (Plastic Cap)

The more I read about ocean and beach clean up efforts, the threat to marine life, and the lasting marks that we are making on the environment through marine debris the more emotional these pieces become to me. According to the Ocean Conservancy volunteers picked up more than 12.3 million pounds of trash during the 2013 international coastal clean up. 12.3 million pounds! And that's just the trash they could get to along the coastline. Imagining the amount of debris in the ocean leaves my head spinning.

So what can we do? The top ten items collected were heavy in disposable products that beach goers are most likely bringing to the beach and leaving behind (plastic bags, utensils, straws, bottles, etc). Whenever possible use reusable items. Throw a couple forks in the glove box, stash a reusable shopping bag in a door pocket, drink water out of the tap in a reusable bottle. When that's just not possible make sure disposable items get to the proper recycling bins. Go the extra mile and pick up trash someone else left behind. For more ideas on how to help check out this handy infographic from the Ocean Conservancy!

For a look at what the other 3xR artists are up to head over to the 3xR 2014 Flickr Group.

Thanks for reading!